Grant ID RP250321
Awarded On February 19, 2025
Title Leveraging synthetic and collateral lethality in MTAP loss tumors
Program Academic Research
Award Mechanism Individual Investigator Research Awards for Clinical Trials
Institution/Organization The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Principal Investigator/Program Director Jordi Rodon Ahnert
Cancer Sites All Sites
Contracted Amount $1,599,783*

*Pending contract negotiation

Lay Summary

5'-methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP) is a tumor suppressor gene frequently deleted in cancer (~100,000 individuals/year in USA). MTAP loss leads to the accumulation of 5'-methylthioadenosine (MTA) which hinders cell metabolism and binds and partially inhibits protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) activity. Complete inhibition of PRMT5 in MTAP loss cells leads to cell death. MTAP null tumors can be selectively targeted with MTA cooperative PRMT5 inhibitors (MTA:PRMT5i), that inhibit PRMT5 bound to MTA while sparing normal MTAP wild-type tissue. These agents are safe and well tolerated compared to first generation PRMT5 inhibitors. Despite improved safety profile of the MTA:PRMT5...

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